Normal Smell Identification Score and N-Butanol Threshold in Thai Adults
Saisawat Chaiyasate MD*, Kannika Roongrotwattanasiri MD*, Nutthiya Hanprasertpong MD**, Supranee Fooanant MD*
Affiliation : * Department of Otolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand ** Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Objective : To identify commonly recognized odorants and to find a normal threshold for n-butanol in Thai adults.
Material and Method: Eighty-one normal adult volunteers were enrolled between April and September 2010. They were
asked to sniff from each glass bottle as long as they preferred. The threshold test was performed in an ascending method.
Each volunteer was asked to identify the n-butanol dilution bottle from two bottles of distilled water. Fifteen odorants
available as commercial products were used for the identification test. Volunteers had to sniff each bottle and chose the
answer from four choices.
Results : There were 33 male (40.7%) and 48 female (59.3%) volunteers. The mean age ( standard deviation) was
38.811.4 years, ranged from 22 to 60 years. The most common threshold bottle was number nine (40.7%). The most
commonly recognized odorant was fish sauce (100%). The most intolerable odorant was ammonia (77.8%). The mean
correct identification score ( standard deviation) was 13.61.4 odorants, ranged from six to 15 odorants.
Conclusion : The present study showed commonly recognized odorants that could be used for an identification test and the
normal n-butanol threshold in Thai adults.
Keywords : Smell test, Smell identification test, Olfactory test, Thai
